Neither the US nor Thailand have officially notified Russia of reasons for the arrest of the Russian citizen

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

MOSCOW, July 21. /TASS/. The Russian Foreign Ministry has filed a note of protest to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand stating that the extradition of Russia’s citizen to the United States is unacceptable, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday. According to her, diplomats have been taking all reasonable steps to secure his release or handover to the Russian side.

"According to reports coming from the Russian embassy in Thailand, a Russian citizen of the name of Ukrainsky was arrested in the city of Pattaya, Thailand, on July 15," she said. "The warrant for his arrest was issued by a Thai court. On the same day, he was taken to a temporary detention facility of the immigration police in Bangkok. According to information from the Thai police, he was arrested at the US request on suspicion of his alleged involvement in money laundering in US territory."

According to Zakharova, "Until the present moment we have received no official notifications either form the American or from the Thai side with explanations regarding the reasons for the Russian citizen’s arrest," she said.

"On July 19, temporary charge d'affaires of Thailand in Moscow was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia where the corresponding representation was made to him," the diplomat said. "Also, a protest note was sent to the Thai Foreign Ministry with the statement about inadmissibility of the Russian citizen’s extradition to the United States."

She said that the Russian embassy in Bangkok is in permanent contact with the local authorities, as well as with the Russian citizen and his relatives and provides all the needed assistance to him. "Of course, we intend to do everything possible for his release or handover to the Russian side," Zakharova said.